Drapery slide



A118- 10, 1965 F. F. sALzMANN ETAL 3,199,142

DRAPERY SLIDE Filed Sept. 19, 1965 United States Patent O SEQMZ SLlllDEFerdinand F. Salzznann and Sichn .LK Hoare, Madison, Wis., assignors toGra-"ner Manufacturing Company, inc., Middleton, Wis., a corporation ofWisconsin Fined Sept. 19, i963, Ser. No. 359,952 S Claims. (El. www@This invention relates to a drapery carrier, commonly referred to as adrapery slide, to support draperies and the like for movement along thetrackway in a traverse rod. An important object ol this invention is toprovide an improved drapery carrier for supporting a drapery formovement along the tracltway in a traverse rod, which carrier can bereadily inserted or removed from the tracl way at any point along therod, and which will not stick or jam in the trackway during use.

Another object of this invention is to provide an irnproved draperycarrier for supporting a drapery for movement along the tracliway in therod, which carrier can be readily inserted and removed from the trackwayat any point along the rod and which will not become accidentallydetached or fall out of the rod during transportation or installation ofthe rod.

Yet, another object of this invention is to provide a drapery carrierwhich is adapted for use in both single and double rod sections andwhich can be inserted and removed from the traclcway at any point alongsuch single or double rod sections.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a drapery carrieradapted to be inserted and removed from a trackway at any pointtherealong, and which can be reused after removal from the traclrway.

These, together with other objects and advantages of this invention willoe more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view through a rod and drapery slide, showing theparts on an enlarged scale to facilitate illustration of details ofconstruction;

FG. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the drapery carrier of FIG. 1;

FlG` 3 is a sectional view taken on the plane 3-3 of FIG. 1 illustratingthe parts on a somewhat smaller scale than in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side View of the drapery carrier of FIG. 1, illustrating themanner of inserting and removing the same from the rod;

FG. 5 is a sectional view through the drapery carrier of FIG. 1, andillustrating the insertion and removal of the same from a modified ormof rod section;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view through a rod and illustrating a modiliedform of detachable drapery slide on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary front view of the drapery carrier of FlG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the plane 3 8 of FIG. 6 andillustrating the parts on a somewhat smaller scale than in FIG. 6.

The detachable drapery carriers or" the present invention are generallyadapted for use with conventional traverse rods of the type having atrackway located in a generally upright wall thereof. Such traverse rodscommonly have a generally @shaped cross section as shown in FlG. 1 andinclude a generally upright front wall 1t), arched top and bottom wallslll and 12 and a rear wall 13. The traclo Way is generally located inthe rear wall and comprises an elongated slot extending along the lengthot the rod and defining spaced upper and lower gui-de edges 1d and l5respectively. The drapery rod may comprise either a single tubularsection as shown in FIG. l, or, in the case oi Fatented Aug., i9, l

the so-called extension type rods, may include inner and outertelescoping sections, as is well known in the art. The drapery carrierof the present invention is adapted for use in either of the single rodsections as shown in FIG. l, or in the double rod section of anextension rod. The carriers are also adapted for use with rods which aredifferent cross sectional shapes and may, for example, be used with rodsof the type shown in FIG. 5. The rod shown in FIG. 5 includes inner andouter rod sections. The inner rod section has parts similar to the outerrod section and like numerals followed by the superscript C) used todesignate corresponding parts. Thus, the outer and inner sections of therod of FlG. 5 respectively include front walls 2l), Ztl', top walls 21,2l', bottom walls 22, 22' and rear walls 23, Z3. The rear walls 23, 23of the outer and inner sections have registering longitudinallyextending slots therein and which denne a trackway extending lengthwiseot the rod between the upper and lower guide edges 24 and 25. In the rodsection, as shown in FIG. 5, the top walls 21 and 2l extend rearwardlyot the respective rear walls 23, Z5', and form an overhanging liangedesignated 26, Z6 along the upper edge `or the rear wall, and whichilange is spaced above the upper edge of the tracliway. This overhangingflange on the rod sections of FIG. 5 normally presents an obstruction tothe removal of slides from the rods and the removable drapery slides ofthe present invention are constructed in the manner hereinafterdescribed to also enable ready insertion and removal of the saine fromrod sections ot the type shown in FIG. 5.

As previously noted, the traverse rods are of a conventional type andemploy the usual master slides, pulleys and cords connected to themaster slides and entrained over the pulleys at the ends o the rod formoving the same along the rod. 1n such traverse rods, a plurality ofauxiliary slides are employed, the number or which slides will varydependent upon the length of the rod and the number of pleats in thedrapery panels. The present invention is directed primarily to anauxiliary slide construction which can be readily inserted and removedfrom the trackway on the traverse rod, at any point therealong, but itis to be understood that the present invention can also be used on themaster slide buttons if it is desired to enable insertion and removal ofthe master slide from the rod.

Reference is now made more specifically to the form of the detachableslide shown in NGS. 1 5. The size of the slides may be varied fordifferent size rods so Vlong as the relative proportions ot certainparts of the slides and rods are maintained in the manner describedhereinafter. However, the slides and rods are generally somewhat smallerthan as shown in the drawings and, in the embodiments shown, areillustrated approximately four times size in FlGS. l, 2, 6 and 7 andapproximately two times size in the other views to facilitateillustrating of details of construction. The slide in general includes abody portion 3l disposed externally of the trackway, a reduced neckportion 32 that extends laterally from the body portion and through thetrackway, and an enlarged retainer head or button disposed inside thetrackway to engage the inner side of the rod at opposite side of the rodat opposite sides oi the tracliy'iay. The body 3l, neck 32 and head 33are molded or otherwise formed as a unit from a resilient plasticmaterial and may, for example, be molded from polyethylene or nylon. Adrapery suspending means is provided on the body 3l and, as shown,comprises a downwardly extending pendant portion 36 formed integrallywith the body 3l, and a forwardly inclined lower end portion 37 whichextends forwardly bel-ow the rod and has a drapery hook receivingopening therein. The body 3l is conveniently of the draperies.

rmade hollow as shown at 31to reduce the overall amount of material inthe slide and ribs such as 36'.preferably provided at opposite sides ofthe pendant portion 36 and jmerge with the body to reinforce the pendantportion.

The pendant portion may have any other suitable configuration and may,if desired, be formed separate from the body portion and attachedthereto as by a rivet or screw, as is conventional in the art. l

The neck Aportion 32 is preferably formed wlth a generallysemicylindrical configuration, at least at the underside thereof, toenable free swinging movement of the slide in a direction crosswise ofthe trackway. The underside of the neck portion 32 rests on the loweredge of the trackway and, in order to enable use of the slides onsingle, as well as the double telescoping track- ,ways, the neck has alength between the body 31 and head 33 somewhat greater than thecombined thickness of the double trackway to allow free sliding movementofthe drapery slide therealong. In order to facilitate swinging movementof the slides when a plurality of -such slides are disposed in sidewiseabutting engagement in the trackway, the upper halves of the bodyportion 31 and button or head 33 are formed withran arcuate peripherysubstantially concentric with the axis of the neck portion 32. Moreover,the body portion 31 and button 33 are preferably formed with a likeradius so that the body portion and button portions of adjacent slidesengaged during relative swinging movement of the adjacenty slides toprovide dual points of contact between ladjacent slides that are locatedboth inside and outside trackway, and a means is provided on the slidefor normally preventing the edge of the trackway from entering the notchto thereby prevent accidental detachment of the slides from thetrackway. The notch designated 41 extends crosswise of the upper portionof the neck 32 to receive one edge 14 of the trackway, when the slide ismoved crosswise of the trackway, and the notch is made suiciently deepto allow the lower edge 33' of the button 33 to move past the edge V15of the trackway, when the edge 14 extends to a point adjacent the baseof 41 of the notch. The width of the notch 41, measured in a directionlengthwise of the neck, is preferably made somewhat narrower than thespacing between the button 33 and the body 31, and one edge of the notchdesignated 41, is preferably inclined downwardly and forwardly from thebody portion 41 to the base 41 of the notch to guide the edge 14' of thetrackway into the base of the notch, when the slide is shifted in adirection crosswise of the trackway.` As shown, the base 41 of the notchis advantageously positioned closely adjacent the button 33 andis spacedfrom the body 31 so that the semi-cylindrical neck has its full crosssection adjacent the body 31 and decreases in cross sectional area in adirection toward the buttonV 33 to maintain adequateV strength in theneck 32. As previously described, the draperies are attached to thependant on the 1 body 31 and the underside of the neck portion 32 restson the lower edge of the trackway to support the weight Locating thebase of the notch 41 closely adjacent the'button and spaced from thebody 31 retains the strength at the neck portion to support the weightof the draperies and, in addition, locates the pivot point of theslides, during insertion and removal from the trackway, at a pointclosely adjacent the button Vmeasured between the edges 14 and 1S, toallow the lower edge 33 of the button to move past the edge 15 of thetrackway, whenvthe other edge 14 of the trackway extends intoV the baseof the notch. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower edge of the button 33 is cutalong a secant line to facilitate insertion and removal of Athe slide. Y

In order to prevent accidental detachment of the slide from thetrackway, an integral deformable portion is provided on the slide toyieldably oppose entrance of the Vedge of the trackway into the base ofthe notch. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5, the deformable portioncomprises a thin membrane-like section designated 45 which extendsacross the notch at a level above theV base of the notch. The thin,membrane-like portion 4.5 is preferably formed with an arcuate crosssection generally concentric with the axis of the neck 32. Themembranelike portion 45 can conveniently be molded integrally with theslide by forming a passage 46 that extends through the neck 32 andthrough one and preferably both of the body 31 and the button 33, -withthe arcuate mem" brane-like portion 4S overlying the upper portion ofthe passage 46. -The base of the notch 41 extends to a level below theupper edge of the passage 46 and the membrane-like section 45 extendsabove the base of the notch, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1-3 toyieldably oppose the entrance of the edge 14 of the trackway into thenotch.

The membrane-like section 45 is made very thin as j compared to thethickness of the walls of the neck portion 32, and is preferably made ofthe order of .008 inch, so as to be readily deformable when the slide ismanually pressed upwardly against the edge 14 in the trackway.- Themembrane-like section will deform under these conditions, as shown inFIG. 4, to allow the edge 14 of the trackway to enter the base of thenotch in the neck 32. The slide can then be pivoted about the edge 14until the lower edge 33 on the button 33 clears the other edge 15 of thetrackway. At that time, the slide can be easily l withdrawn from thetrackway. When inserting the slide into the trackway, the above sequenceof operations is merely reversed. The plasticfromwhich the slide isformed is preferably made sufciently resilient so as to deform in themanner described above without rupturing or breaking, tothereby allowuse of the slide after it has been removed from the trackway. While thethin membrane-like section will deform readily under lateral pressuresapplied during removaL-it is yet sufficient to yield-l ably opposeentrance of the edge of the trackway 14 into the notch to preventaccidental detachment of the slide from the trackway during storage andtransportation of the rods. Y

The inner head or button 33 overlies the inside of the rod at oppositesides of the trackway to retain the slide in the trackway and has a face33a which is arranged to guidably engage the rod duringY movement of theslide therealong. As previously noted, the face 33a is spaced from theregistering face of the body 31 a distance somewhat greater than thewidth of the double rod section to allow free sliding movement of theslidealong such a double rod section. In order to facilitate removal ofthe slides from such double rod sections and also from rod sections ofthe type shown in FIG.V 5 having an overhanging flange 26 at the rear ofthe rod above the trackway, it is preferable to arrange the base 41 ofthe notch 41 so that the base extends somewhat inwardly of the guideface 33a on the head 33, as is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5. Thislocates the pivot point between the slide and the edge 14 of thetrackway, during insertion and removal of the slide from the trackway,at a point quiteclose to the center of the inner head 33 and markedlyfacilitates snapping the slide into and out of the trackway. As bestshown in FIG. l, the portion 33h of the face on the head 33 is odsetfrom the tace 33u and is spaced somewhat further from the body than theface 33a.

A modied form of detachable slide is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. The slidein general includes a body Si disposed externally of the rod, a neck S2and an inner head or button S3. A drapery supporting pendant 6 having anangulated lower end portion S7 and a drapery receiving opening dit ispreferably formed integrally with the body S1. As in the precedingembodiment, the body is made hollow as indicated at lil' and reinforcingribs do' are provided along opposite sides or the pendant portion 36.The body, neck and head are formed of a resilient plastic material. Inthis embodiment, the neck d?, is also formed with a generallysemi-cylindrical comiguration to support the slides for free swingingmovement on the lower edge l5 or" the trackway and the body Si and head33 are preferably formed with arcuate peripheral edges, at least on theupper portions thereof, as best shown in FG. 7. The neck 82 extendsthrough the trackway and the head S3 extends outwardly from the neck tooverlie the inner side ot the rod at opposite sides of the trackway. Theface 83a on the head is spaced from the registering face on the body Sia distance somewhat greater than the thickness of a double rod section,to adapt the slide for use with both single and double rod sections.

ln this embodiment, the notch designated @l is formed in the upperportion of the neck S2 and the base of the notch extends down to a pointadjacent the center line of the neck. As in the preceding embodiment,the base 9i of the notch 9i is preferably spaced from the head 8i andthe edge 9i or the notch is preferably inclined downwardly from the bodySi toward the head S3 to guide the edge ot the trackway into the base ofthe notch when the slide is moved upwardly. The base of the notch 9ipreferably' extends into the head 83 to a point inwardly of the guidetace Sra thereon so that the pivot point between the slide and the edgei@ of the trackway will be located closely adjacent the center of thehead. As best shown in PEG. 6, the face portion S31) on the head abovethe notch is also inclined downwardly and inwardly from a point adjacentthe upper edge of the head to a point adjacent the base of the notch.lll/ith this arrangement, the head has a reduced cross sectiondesignated 33e extending generally diametrically across the head at alevel elow the upper edge of the neck, and which reduced cross sectionpermits limited iiexing movement of the upper portion ot the head, asmay be required during insertion and removal of the slide from thetrackway.

A resilient deformable member is provided for yieldably opposingentrance of the edge 143 or" the trackway of the base 91' oi the notch.The deformable member 95 is preferably attached to only one of themembers comprising the body Si and head S3 and, as shown in FlG. 6, thedeformable member is attached to the head S3 and extends across thenotch at a level above the base of the notch. in this embodiment, theneck 82 and head 83 have a passage 9b formed therein adjacent the centerline of the neck and which passage is shown as having a generallyrectangular conguration, it being understood that the passage could beotherwise shaped if desired. The deformable member is herein shown inthe form of a resilient tab that projects from the head S3 in overlyingrelation to the passage 96 and across the notch 9i at a level above thebase 9i of the same. The member 9S is made suliiciently thin andresilient to deform readily w..e the slide is manualiy pressed upwardlyagainst the edge i4 of the rod, to enable insertion and removal of thesaine from the trackway. The member 95 will, however, yieldably opposeentrance of the edge ot" the trackway into the base of the notch toprevent accidental detachment of the slide from the trackway duringstorage and shipment.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction and use of thedetachable slides will be readily understood. The inner head or buttonis formed in one piece .and is integral with the neck and body toproperly support and guide the slide during movement along the trackwayand avoid sticking or binding of the slides in the trackway. The neckportions are notched to allow detachment of the slides from the trackwaywhen the slides are pushed upwardly, and the resilient deformableportion overlies the notch to prevent accidental detachment of theslides when the rods are turned upside down or shaken, as may occurduring storage, transporation or installation of the rod. By locatingthe base of the notch closely adjacent the inner head or button, thestrength of the neck is maintained and, moreover, insertion and removalof the slide is facilitated.

While several preferred embodiments of the invention are hereinspecically shown and described, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise forms of apparatus, and thatchanges may be made therein without departing from the scope of theinvention which is delned in the appended claims.

We claim:

"il, In a drapery rod having an elongated trackway at the rear thereofdened by spaced edges on the rod; a drapery slide comprising a draperysupport pendant and a unitary slide member at the upper end of thependant, said slide member being formed of a resilient plastic materialand including a body adapted to lie outside the rod, a reduced neckextending from the body and dimensioned to slidably extend through thetrackway between the edges on the rod, .and an enlarged unitary head onthe other end of the neck dimensionecl larger than the width of thetrackway; characterized in that the neck has a notch in the upper side,the base of which notch is spaced from the lower edge of the head adistance no greater than the spacing between the edges of the rod toallow the slide to be inserted or removed from the rod when the slide isshifted crosswise of the rod to position one edge of the rod in thenotch, .and a deformable portion is formed integral with the slide tooverlie the base of the notch and yieldably oppose entrance of an edgeof the rod into the base of the notch.

2. A drapery slide for use in a drapery rod having spaced edges deiininga trackway, the slide comprising a drapery support pendant and a unitarySlide member at the upper end of the pendant, the slide member beingformed of resilient plastic material and including a body; a reducedneck dimensioned to extend through the trackway and having its outer endintegrally joined to the body; and an enlarged unitary head at the innerend of the neck, the neck having a substantially rigid semi-cylindricallower portion and a thin deformable membranelike portion at the upperside thereof.

3. A drapery slide for use in a drapery rod having spaced edges deiininga trackway, the slide comprising a drapery support pendant and a unitaryslide member at the upper end of the pendant, the slide member beingformed or a resilient plastic material and including a body; a reducedneck dimensio-ned to extend through the trackway having its outer endintegrally joined to the body; and an enlarged unitary head at the innerend of the neck, the neck having a passage extending therethrough, theneck having a thick-walled substantially rigid lower portion and athin-walled transversely arched upper portion, the upper portion beinglaterally deformable when pressed against the edge of a trackw-aysuiiicient to allow the head on the slide to :be laterally withdrawnfrom a rod.

4l. A drapery slide for use on a drapery rod having vertically spacededges dening a trackway, the slide iucluding a drapery support pendantand a unitary slide member at the upper end of the pendant formed of aresilient plastic material, the slide member comprising a body, areduced neck disposed transverse to the pendant adapted to extendthrough the trackway and having an outer end integrally joined to thebody, and an enlarged :relation to the body 'and a rela-tively thinsectioned laterally deformable upper portion formed integrally with theslide and extending along the upper side of the lower -portion of theneck, said upperportion of said neck being deformable toward the lowerportion thereof when pressed against the edge of a 4trackway to therebyreduce the effective cross-section of the neck and facilitate lateralwithdrawal of the head through the trackway.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said deformable upper portion ofthe neck comprises a thin membrane-like section arched in a directioncrosswise of the neck.

6. The combination of claim 4 Vwherein said deformable upper portion ofthe neck comprises a thin resilient tab supported at one end landextending in lateral spaced relation to the upper side of the lowerportion of the neck.

7. A drapery slide for use on a drapery rod having vertically spacededges defining a trackway, the slide including a drapery support pendantand a unitary slide member at the upper end of the pendant formed of aresilient plastic material, the slide member comprising a body, areduced neck disposed transverse to the pendant adapted to extendthrough the trackway and having an outer end integrally joined to thebody, and an enlarged unitary head integrally joined to the inner end ofthe neck and havingrupper and lower portions extending above and belowthe neck, the neck having a thick sectioned lower portion extendingbetween the head and body for supporting the head in substantially rigidspaced relation to the body and a relatively thin sectioned laterallydeformable upper portion formed integrally with the slide and extendingalong the upper side of the lower portion of the neck, said upperportion of said neck being deformable toward the lower portion thereofwhen pressed t against the edge of a trackway to thereby reduce theeffective cross-section of the neck and facilitate lateral withdrawal ofthe head through the trackway, said head having stepped inner guide'facewith the inner face of the upper portion of the head spaced relativelyfarther from said body than the inner face of said lower portion of thehead to provide clearance when inserting and removing the slide from arod.

8. In a drapery rod having an elongated trackway delined by verticallyspaced edges on the rod, a drapery slide including a drapery supportpendant and a unitary slide member at the upper end of the pendantformed of resilient plastic material, the slide member comprising a bodydisposed outside the rod and having a downwardly extending draperysupport pendant, a reduced neck extending from the body in a ldirectiontransverse to the pendant and dimensioned to slidably extend through thetrackway between the edges of the rod, and an enlarged uriitary head onthe other end of the neck having upper and lower portions respectivelyextending above and below the neck, the neck having a thick sectionedportion extending between the head and body for supporting the head insubstantial rigid spaced relation to the body, said neck portion havingthe upper side thereof in the area adjacent said head spaced frorn thelower edge of said head a distance no greater than the spacing betweenthe edges of the rod to allow the slide to be inserted and removed fromthe rod when the slide is shifted crosswise of the rod to position theupper edge of said lower portion of the neck against an edge of the rod,said head having a stepped inner guide face with the inner face of theupper portion of the head spaced relatively farther from said body thanVthe inner face of the lower portion of said head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED 'STATES PATENTS 2,654,114 10/53Graber et al. 16-93 2,683,890 7/ 54 Rosenbaum. 2,848,735 8/58 Ault eta1. 16-93 DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

1. IN A DRAPERY ROD HAVING AN ELONGATED TRACKWAY AT THE REAR THEREOFDEFINED BY SPACED EDGES OF THE ROD; A DRAPERY SLIDE COMPRISING A DRAPERYSUPPORT PENDANT AND A UNITARY SLIDE MEMBER AT THE UPPER END OF THEPENDANT, SAID SLIDE MEMBER BEING FORMED OF A RESILIENT PLASTIC MATERIALAND INCLUDING A BODY ADAPTED TO LIE OUTSIDE THE ROD, A REDUCED NECKEXTENDING FROM THE BODY AND DIMENSIONED TO SLIDABLY EXTEND THROUGH THETRACKWAY BETWEEN THE EDGES ON THE ROD, AND AN ENLARGED UNITARY HEAD ONTHE OTHER END OF THE NECK DIMENSIONED LARGER THAN THE WIDTH OF THETRACKWAY; CHARACTERIZED IN THAT THE BECK HAS A NOTCH IN THE UPPER SIDE,THE BASE OF WHICH NOTCH IS SPACED FROM THE LOWER EDGE OF THE HEAD ADISTANCE NO GREATER THAN THE SPACING BETWEEN THE EDGES OF THE ROD TOALLOW THE SLIDE TO BE INSERTED OR REMOVED FROM THE ROD WHEN THE SLIDE ISSHIFTED CROSSWISE OF THE ROD TO POSITION ONE EDGE OF THE ROD IN THENOTCH, AND A DEFORMABLE PORTION IS FORMED INTEGRAL WITH THE SLIDE TOOVERLIE THE BASE OF THE NOTCH AND YIELDABLY OPPOSE ENTRANCE OF AN EDGEOF THE ROD INTO THE BASE OF THE NOTCH.